Production of colored flames



April '18, 1.950 E.'A. MEANS 2,504,211

PRQDUCTIQN 0F COLORED FLAMES Filed Mach 1:, 1947 FIG-.- 1-

I ELDON MEANS INVENTOR.

Mxm.

Patented Apr. 18, 1950 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE PRODUCTION OF COLOREDFLAMES Eldon A. Means, Wichita, Kans.

Application March 13, 1947, Serial No. 734,316

4 Claims. 1

The invention here disclosedv relates to the duction or creation ofcolored flame.

It has been known that certain salts will color flames and attempts havebeen made to utilize this characteristic in candles and other devicesusing a wick for vaporizing the fuel. In all known cases, however,excessive carbon in the fuel produced a yellow flame, obscuring oroverwhelming any introduced color.

The objects of the present invention principally are to accomplish thecoloration of flames without loss of coloring to the natural flame ofthe supporting fuel.

In line with such objects it is a purpose of the invention to provide aflame coloring method and means which will be entirely practical andcommercial, safe to use and adaptable to the various fields ofilluminating, ornamentation, signalling, warning and the like.

Other desirable objects attained by the invention are set forth or willappear in the course of the following specification. The drawingaccompanying and forming part of the specification illustrates onesimple, practical embodiment of the invention. Physical structure andmodes of use, however, may vary, all within the true intent and broadscope of the invention as hereinafter defined and claimed.

In the drawing,

Fig. 1 is a broken part sectional representation of a candle embodyingfeatures of the invention;

Fig. 2 is a cross sectional view as on substantially the plane of line2-2 of Fig. 1.

Basically the invention involves the use of a fuel which will burn witha blue or colorless flame and the feeding of desired color forming saltsto that flame.

In the illustration, a candle is represented having a body 3 composed ofsugar-like alcohols molded with a wick 4 burning with a blue flamecharacteristic of complete combustion.

This flame can be colored by the addition of salts such as lithiumchloride, copper chloride, potassium chloride, barium chloride,strontium chloride, and the like. I Y

The basic fuel may be any organic compound containing the right amountof oxygen in the molecule to burn with a blue flame. Present studiesindicate that such amount should be greater than twenty-five percent toproduce the desired characteristic blue flame.

PTO-

The material at present preferred for the candle body is Isosorbide,having the chemical composition- Molecular weight 146 Melting point C62-64 Boiling point 5 mm. Hg do 158-,160 Boiling point 10 mm. Hg do176-177 0 mcnoncn HCHOHCH:

This material melts between 62-64 C., feeds readily through a wick andis otherwise satis-' factory for making candles.

In order that such candles do not spill, it may be desirable to coatthem with acasing 5 of higher 0 tioned are slightly hygroscopic, it maybe desirable to waterproof the candles, as by exposing them to thevapors of trimethylchlorosilane.

The wicks of such candles may be impregnated with lithium chloride forproducing a, red flame. This candle will burn smoothly and evenlywithout sputtering, with a red flame distinctive enough to serve, forexample, as a danger signal.

Wicks impregnated with barium chloride or copper chloride in this candlewill produce a distinctive green flame.

A potassium impregnated wick will create a violet colored flame.

A strontium chloride wick will provide a red flame, and other shades maybe produced from other metallic ions.

The lithium chloride or other volatile salt used should be fed into theouter envelope of the flame in order to be more effectively volatilizedand produce the maximum color.

To accomplish this result the wick may be made as shown in theillustration, with projecting specules 6 in the nature'oi strands orroots" extending from the core or the wick out into the body of thecandle. These specules may be woven or tied into the core of the wick atthe time of manufacture.

There are many uses for the colored flames produced by this invention.

One important use is for decorative candles. These may be made up inlarge sizes such as two to four inches in diameter, and equipped withWindshields such as are now available on the market, to serve for truckflares. as warning signals on rods. to mark out driving lanes inunlighted places and to illuminate or mark out landing strips forairplanes and the like.

The invention may be utilized in liquid fuel form instead of the solidfuel, candle form disclosed. Thus for lamps and fire burn1ng-devices.the invention may be made up in a liquid fuel form composed of 50% ethylalcohol, 48% Isosorbide and 2 lithium chloride.

What is claimed is: I

1. A fuel for a wick burning device composed of Isosorbide approximately48%, ethyl alcohol approximately 50%, water and lithium chloride about2%.

2. A candle burning with a colored flame and comprising Isosorbide and awick impregnated with lithium chloride.

3. A candle burning with a colored flame and comprising Isosonbide and awick embedded therein having projecting specules and impregnated withlithium chloride.

4. A wick burning fuel for producing a colored flame comprisingIsosorbide approximately 48%, ethyl alcohol approximately 50% andlithium chloride approximately 2%.

ELDON A. MEANS.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,959,164 Jaeger May 15, 19342,184,666 Fredericks Dec. 26. 1939

